Final answer:
Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is a standard interface that allows applications to access data stored in different database management systems (DBMS) using SQL queries. It acts as a bridge between the application and the DBMS, handling the translation of the application's requests into a format that the DBMS understands.
Step-by-step explanation:
Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is a standard interface that allows applications to access data stored in different database management systems (DBMS) using SQL queries. It provides a way for applications to interact with databases without needing to know the specific details of the DBMS they are accessing.
ODBC works by providing a set of functions that applications can use to connect to a database, send queries, and retrieve data. It acts as a bridge between the application and the DBMS, handling the translation of the application's requests into a format that the DBMS understands.
For example, let's say you have an application that needs to retrieve data from both a Microsoft SQL Server database and an Oracle database. Instead of having to write separate code to handle connectivity and query execution for each DBMS, you can use ODBC to write a single set of code that can interact with both databases.